In 2016, Lamar Jackson took the college football world by storm on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy. A rare athlete who had offers from powerhouse programs like Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson, Jackson opted to sign with Louisville to ensure his opportunity to remain at quarterback instead of switching to another position.
A year later, Baker Mayfield took home the sport’s top individual honor after leading Oklahoma to a Big 12 title and a trip to the Rose Bowl. A former walk-on at Texas Tech, the undersized transfer won 38 of his 46 starts over three seasons with the Sooners.
Depending on what happens Monday night, Lamar Jackson or Baker Mayfield could emerge as the top contender for NFL MVP.
Mitch Stringer (Jackson), Nathan Ray Seebeck (Mayfield)/Imagn Images
The pair would bookend the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield as the No. 1 overall pick to the Cleveland Browns, and Jackson to the Baltimore Ravens at the No. 32 spot after a trade-up.
Their paths have diverged once in the NFL, with Jackson winning multiple league MVP awards, while the oft-injured Mayfield was unceremoniously shipped out of Cleveland after four seasons before splitting the 2022 season between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.
Mayfield signed a cheap, one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason, and made the most of his bet on himself with the best season of his career so far, which culminated in his first Pro Bowl nod. The Bucs rewarded him with a new three-year contract extension in the neighborhood of $100 million.
Last offseason, Jackson signed a massive deal to stick with the Ravens, a five-year pact worth up to $260 million.
After winning his second MVP award last year, Jackson is playing up to that level yet again this year, which shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone at this point.
What might surprise some is that Mayfield is also playing at an MVP level this season, rewarding the Bucs for their long-term investment that, at this point, is looking like a massive bargain. Mayfield leads the NFL with 15 touchdown passes, accounting for more total points (102) than anyone in the league through six weeks. Joe Burrow and Josh Allen are tied for second with 78. Mayfield also has the same amount of rushing touchdowns as Jackson.
Mayfield and Jackson took home the Heisman Trophy in back-to-back seasons.
Todd J. Van Emst-Imagn Images
“He’s a tremendous quarterback,” Jackson said of Mayfield earlier this week. “He has been since college, ever since I’ve known him.”
Despite the rumblings that Mayfield could be in contention for this year’s MVP, he’s got plenty of experience not letting nay outside noise, good or bad, influence his preparations for this marquee matchup.
“I’ve dealt with the roller-coaster of emotions throughout my playing career, not getting to high, not getting to low,” Mayfield said Thursday. “Learning that balance, it takes years, and experience through it. Part of it’s just not being on social media, not looking at it, and taking care of your job.”
Just as they did in back-to-back years at the Heisman ceremony in New York, their paths will converge yet again Monday night, when Jackson and the Ravens travel to Tampa to take on Mayfield and the Bucs in front of a national audience.
Both teams are 4-2, and a win would be a massive step toward securing a potential playoff spot. Each club will be counting on their respective star quarterback to deliver, and based on what we’ve seen so far this season, the national audience shouldn’t be disappointed.
